Artwork
Hunters Resting
Hunters Resting is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Dirk Stoop. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting's material execution employs oil paint applied to a wooden support, characteristic of 17th-century Dutch panel painting techniques.
Hunters Resting is an oil painting executed on wood panel in 1650, depicting a horse and a tree within a landscape composition. The work measures 36.5 cm in height by 51 cm in width and was created by Dirk Stoop for Gijsbert de Clercq, who held ownership of the piece. Its formal qualities reflect the landscape genre through naturalistic rendering and balanced spatial arrangement.
The painting's material execution employs oil paint applied to a wooden support, characteristic of 17th-century Dutch panel painting techniques. The handling of brushwork and coloration contributes to the atmospheric depth typical of Stoop's landscape style, while the composition maintains classical balance through the placement of the depicted horse and tree.
The artwork's condition and technical execution align with contemporary records of 17th-century panel painting practices, though specific conservation details are not documented in the available sources.
History & Provenance
Hunters Resting is an oil painting on panel created in 1650 by Dutch artist Dirk Stoop. The work measures 36.5 cm in height and 51 cm in width and belongs to the landscape genre. It was first owned by Gijsbert de Clercq before entering the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it remains on display.
The painting was commissioned by an unknown patron and has been part of the Rijksmuseum's holdings since at least the early 20th century, reflecting a continuous ownership chain from its original private owner to the national collection.
The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it is recorded with accession number SK-C-1946-106. It entered the museum’s collection from the Gijsbert de Clercq collection. The work has not been recorded as part of any temporary exhibitions in the provided sources.
Overview
Created circa 1650, Hunters Resting is an oil painting on canvas by the Dutch artist Dirk Stoop. The work presents a small group of 17th‑century hunters paused amid a forested landscape, accompanied by a few dogs. The composition balances figures and foliage, offering a quiet moment within the broader tradition of Dutch Golden Age landscape painting.
Subject & Meaning
The scene captures hunters taking a brief respite beneath trees, their attire reflecting contemporary dress. Some figures sit on the ground while others stand, suggesting a pause in an otherwise active pursuit. The inclusion of dogs and the natural setting underscores the close relationship between humans and the countryside during the period, emphasizing leisure within a working environment.
Context
Hunters Resting fits within a broader genre of Dutch landscape paintings that often depicted everyday rural activities. During the mid‑1600s, such works catered to a growing middle‑class market interested in scenes of pastoral life, reflecting both the prosperity of the Dutch Republic and a cultural fascination with nature and leisure.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Dirk Stoop (c. 1618–1686) was a widely travelled painter and engraver of the Dutch Golden Age. Alternative versions of his name include Dirck Stoff, Theodorus (van der) Stoop, Thierry (the French version) and…
